


Ghosting Lines

by HandsomeRhysx



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Science Fiction, Clones, Fake Science, First Kiss, First Time, M/M, Science Experiments, Slow Burn, Tags May Change
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-13
Updated: 2018-01-31
Packaged: 2019-03-04 06:34:31
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,437
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13358565
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HandsomeRhysx/pseuds/HandsomeRhysx
Summary: Gabriel lost Jack to a car accident two years ago and his life, since then, has been a mess. Until Angela Ziegler approaches him with theLazarus Project, a cloning project that could mean a second chance with his husband. But what is the good ol' doc hiding?Ghosting Lines (artistic slang).Term used to describe the shadows in a sketch that together represent a full and recognizable figure. In a metaphor, it would be almost like watching a polaroid develop.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> The story I've been developing for months now has the first chapter, finally. I've been reluctant with this one, especially with the relationship between Gabriel and clone!Jack, but I've decided to publish it either way. If it backfires, I'll hold my own either way.
> 
> This is not beta'd, if you find any mistakes, lemme know.

Depression has one too many names and one too many meanings under its wing. Sadness, melancholy, weakness, weariness, reaching the rock bottom, mental exhaustion. All of those notions didn’t escape Gabriel Reyes’ comprehension, those were like bad friends clinging to his neck, hopelessly trying to strive through the liquor going down his throat. His choice for today? A cheap whiskey that didn’t have a name worth remembering, but oh, how did the malted liquid burn his insides - a warmth that he welcomed, because he was sure he was not clothed enough for this winter on this windy beach.   
  
Gabriel gazed the sea shore with mindless interest, the day a dull note graying its way through the torturing hours. The waves touched the sand with defiance, going higher and higher until it caressed the tip his black boots. This date had a special and disturbing meaning to him, Gabriel didn’t know which sense he mourned the most when he tried to forget and remember those contradictory memories flashing on his mind.   
  
Jack Morrison had become his partner for life this same day fifteen years ago on this beach.    
  
Jack Morrison had died in a terrible car accident 25 miles away from there two years ago.   
  
Gabriel was starting to lose count of the days on account of his drinking and lack of energy to do anything but barely survive. He tried to move on, his job was busy as a detective and cases were piling up on his desk - Gabriel was one of the best of his district. Yet, everything started to crumble around him with his drinking problem until Ana Amari, his Lieutenant, deemed that he was unfit for his position. Of course, he went to rehab and several support groups and they did help for a while. But Gabriel missed Jack too much, the hurting was too real to heal and the police officer just gave up eventually.   
  
Retired with the good influence of Amari, Gabriel’s days were full of liquor, misery and long walks on that fateful beach. He still lived in the same house that he shared with Jack, full of memories Gabriel wasn’t sure it was healthy for his state of being. Sometimes he would go through Jack’s belongings in the closet with the wishful thinking that his husband would just come back home, that the accident was but a bad dream. Gabriel’s favorite thing, though, was wearing Jack’s clothing. Somehow, the smell of his cologne still clung to the fabric of the pieces and Gabriel was glad to have those pieces of his lover with him.   
  
It was getting dark and the endless horizon held no beauty to Gabriel as he gazed upon the sea, he should get inside - the cold was starting to bother him. With much effort, Gabriel gets up with his bottle and makes his way from the sand to the house’s porch. One last glance at the skyline and he can see the exact spot where Jack said yes to in the beach, dressed in a white and baby blue tuxedo and smiling like a child at Christmas morning. Gabriel scowled at the memory, hugging his torso with sadness - why was he always torturing himself with those?   
  
Gabriel walked through the house with dismissiveness for the mess all around, heading for the living room’s couch. He let the TV on and closed his eyes for a good while, the food channel only a white noise in the back of his head. Gabriel was falling asleep until someone knocked on his door, startling him and making him drop the whiskey bottle to the ground. He curses and puts the bottle on the coffee table, then answers the door only to find the most unlikely person at porch looking at him with mild interest.   
  
“Greetings, Gabriel,” she says with a smile that does reach her eyes, a familiar face that reminded him of his police days. “May I come in?”   
  
“Angela,” he acknowledges, supporting his weight on the door frame. “I’m not with the force anymore, you know that.”   
  
“Oh, I know that. I’ve tried to reach you before and I should’ve waited for an answer, but it’s an urgent matter,” she fidgets in her spot nervously, yet smiles all the same as she continues. “I think it’s only fair to talk to you first since this has to do with Jack.”   
  
He stiffens and gives her a warning look, his face going from neutral friendly to an unpleasant grimace. “And what exactly would you have to tell me about Jack?”   
  
“I insist, Gabriel. Will you let me in so we can talk further?” Angela begs, intertwining her hands and inclining herself. The dark skinned man ponders whether he wants to let her in or not because whatever she has to say about his dead husband must be nothing but a bunch of bullshit. He is, however, curious why she is here in the first place insisting so much - after all, he had refused to answer her calls and messages about an encounter.   
  
Eventually and very reluctantly, he makes space and extends his hand for her to come in, observing her closely as she enters his home. Angela ends up sitting at the dining table, the only place that’s barely clean and presentable and he joins her.   
  
“Amari told me you’ve stopped going to the support group,” she starts the conversation, not breaking eye contact with Gabriel and he knows she’s just like that: an honest and direct person, although she’s not being direct about what she wants right now.   
  
“Yeah, didn’t fit in.”   
  
“You should’ve given time to-”   
  
“Dr. Ziegler,” Gabriel speaks sharply, grasping her attention fully. “Please, don’t tell me you’ve come here to discuss my mental state or lack thereof. Straight to the point.”   
  
“I suppose I should. But it’s not an easy subject to start with, Gabriel.”   
  
“Try me,” he challenges her, already tired of this conversation.   
  
“What would you do if you could see Jack again?” Angela asks with her heavy accent, countenance serious and chin supported by both her hands. The silence between them is palpable, simply because Gabriel is at a loss of words - the promise is a sort of silly utopia being dropped in his lap and at the same time, it piques his interest. “I think I asked the wrong question. What would you do to see Jack again?”   
  
“Anything,” Gabriel blurts out without even thinking, it’s an automatic answer that his brain doesn’t quite register. “But he’s dead. Don’t give me any bullshit, Angela.”   
  
She retrieves a folder from her messenger bag, puts it on the table and gives it to Gabriel. It has a cliché confidential stamp on its front and it’s as thick as her wrist, a bunch of papers inside.   
  
“What’s this?” He asks, curiously, not opening the folder just yet.   
  
“That’s my project. It’s called Lazarus Project and I’ve been working on it for a few years,” she explains, tone careful and neutral. When Gabriel doesn’t peek at the folder, she sighs and points to the yellow cover. “Just take a look for yourself.”   
  
Gabriel opens the folder hesitantly and is immediately surprised by Jack’s photo on the first page. He reads some lines here and there, trying to figure out what exactly is Lazarus Project and why is Jack involved even after he’s dead. The amount of information is tremendous and he’s still trying to process Angela’s question. After the third page, connecting the dots is almost terrifying - the project was a human cloning one and they had done seventy-five tries in the past. The meaning behind this thing’s name didn’t escape Gabriel: Resurrection of Lazarus, something he had to listen to his abuela talk about. The miracle of Jesus, bringing someone back to life even after a burial. He had only one question for Angela.   
  
“Why Jack?” He inquires, a suspicious feeling in his gut that this wasn’t the whole story. “Your research is involved with the Department of Defense, you work under them and don’t try to deny me that. But why… clone someone like Jack?”   
  
“I’ve had access to Jack’s DNA through the National Genome Catalogue and he possesses a special chromosome that we’re looking for,” she’s not looking at Gabriel anymore, now choosing to gaze at her hands. It brings up a flag in his mind, warning that she might still be hiding something. “He’s compatible with our needs.”   
  
“What are those needs, Angela?” Gabriel won’t back down, he’s been a Detective for so many years that it doesn’t take a lot to keep pressuring the good Doc.   
  
“His genetic material is compatible with the whole process of cloning, that is all you need to know right now.”   
  
“Why are you asking me?” Gabriel wonders.   
  
“Jack’s family is all but dead and you’re his next of kin. Also, I thought it would be a common courtesy to involve you in the process.”   
  
He snorts. Common courtesy. “How kind of you,” he jabs, throwing the folder back at Angela and crossing his arms. “And if I say no?”   
  
“I’d beg you to reconsider. Gabriel, you must understand, this project is very important. Not only it’s a marvelous science breakthrough, but it is going to help a lot of people. Can you imagine curing cancer, extending your lifespan on this planet, or even seeing your beloved one again?” She sighs. “I understand your hesitation. However, let me assure you that we’re taking things very seriously with this project and I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t the case.”   
  
A few moments linger between them, Gabriel mulling over the information given to him and Angela waiting anxiously - and hopeful - for a positive answer. Gabriel knew that even if they cloned Jack, it wouldn’t be his husband that they’d brought back. How would he separate his emotions from the level-headed detachment he’d have to display at all times? Would he be able to contain his feelings and not make a fool of himself? Would he not be hurting himself further being so close yet so out of reach from his dearest husband? Those questions were playing like a broken record inside his mind, yet the response was on the top of his tongue already because he knew he was a fool - Gabriel would really do anything to see Jack once again.   
  
“Yes,” Gabriel breathes. “I wanna see Jack again.”   
  
“Klasse!” She exclaims, clapping her hands. “You made the right decision.”   
  
He hopes so.   
  
_____________   
  
Angela claims that the initial process is a long one, albeit an interesting one, that will take several weeks to be complete. Once it’s done, she explains they’ve found a specific chromosome, a mutation that happens in certain sequences of DNA. Those mutations, in turn, respond to a chemical substance called Hypogleven, allowing the growth of a human embryo in a controlled environment and resulting in a fast growth cultivation to adulthood. Of course, the clone would have to go through the normal phases that any adult goes through - childhood, teenage years, and finally adulthood. But what would take a normal human to go through those phases, it would only take a span of 2 months for the clone to reach maturity.   
  
Subject 76 is out of the liquid chamber and breathing, the experiment is successful so far, he is alive. After being cared for inside the lab room the man is not allowed in, the scientist comes out and hands over to Gabriel a baby wrapped up in a baby blue blanket, sighing happily. Gabriel, in turn, grimaces and holds the infant with visible discomfort.   
  
“This is weird,” he mutters. “This is too weird, Angela.”   
  
“It will take some getting used to,” she takes a look over his shoulder and smiles at the baby. “He will grow rapidly, though, don’t worry.”   
  
Gabriel stares at the baby with some curiosity. Didn’t babies cry when they were born? Maybe he was different because of that liquid chamber. Gabriel didn’t understand half of the things Angela explained to him. Still, it was very bizarre to hold this baby in his arms. Was this petite creature his husband? Was he Jack? He found that he didn’t care the moment tiny eyelids opened and Gabriel gazed upon the bluest sapphire eyes that stared right back at him.   
  
He smiles fondly.   
  
“Dr. Ziegler, we need to proceed to our testing with subject 76,” a woman with a white lab coat announces to their left, holding a tablet in her hands and tapping away something. “Our schedule is tight at the moment.”   
  
“Of course,” she smiles. “Gabriel, if you don’t mind, I’ll walk you to the parking lot. I have something I need to talk to you.”   
  
Gabriel hands over the baby to the other scientist and off they go towards the exit of the lab, and it’s not until they’re near Gabriel’s car that Angela speaks up. He can see she’s rather nervous if anything the subject must be a touchy one.   
  
“Listen, I know the next weeks will be a rocky boat for you, Gabriel,” she says, fidgeting. “It will take a toll on you emotionally, so if you need anything, don’t hesitate to ask me. I’m here for you.”   
  
He’s taken aback by the sudden friendliness coming from the doctor, really surprised that she would go so far as to be there for him in case he needed. While the thought was comforting, he wasn’t sure that it would come to that. However, he appreciated it nonetheless and put a hand on Angela’s shoulder.   
  
“Thank you, Angela.”   
  
“You’re most welcome, Gabriel,” she smiles. “Tomorrow you can come back, Jack will be here. Don’t be shocked by his growth, however.”   
  
“No promises.”   
  
_____________   
  
Angela wasn’t kidding.   
  
The next day, the blanket bundle had turned into a one year toddler, playing with peg toys, blocks, and a rock-a-stack. It’s cute seeing Jack in such an innocent environment, so happy, so completely free of the world’s worries. Jack takes a liking to Gabriel very quickly, including him in his routine of games and laughing to the man’s voice every now and then. Gabriel enjoys thoroughly his time with Jack and is gleeful that Angela lets him call Jack instead of subject 76. For his sanity, he doesn’t think he’d be able to call Jack something so cold and detached. However, the rest of the lab continues to call him by this number and it upsets him mildly. He tries to not let it get to him. Besides, all that matters it’s that Jack is here and soon he’ll learn to talk coherent phrases. Gabriel can’t wait.   
  
Each day, Jack has grown a bit more and although Gabriel is surprised every time he sees it, he accepts it fairly well. Jack is a very smart child, learns everything around him quickly and wants to know more about the world in general. His world, however, is only composed by a fairly big room on the lab, filled with toys and things that are appropriate for his age - which changes every day, to be honest - and a few other rooms for exams, and the occasional appointments with Angela. By the mark of one month, Jack resembles a 10-year-old and asks a lot of the outside world, wanting to know a lot about Gabriel too. The good Doc says he shouldn’t indulge him so much, but Gabriel has a weak heart and ends up giving in every instance.   
  
“Gabe!” Jack exclaims, jumping out of bed and running towards Gabriel. He hugs the man’s waist and rests his head on Gabriel’s chest. Gabriel can’t help but smile warmly.   
  
“Hey, Jack. How is it going?”   
  
“Today sucked. Ang stuck a needle up my arm so many times this morning,” he pouted.   
  
“Is that so?” Gabe looked to his left and found Angela trying to hide a smile.   
  
“How am I supposed to get blood out of you without a needle, Jack?” She now smiles, no longer concealing her mirth.   
  
“I don’t know. You’re the doc, make the magic happen!”   
  
“I'm not a miracle worker. Well... Not always.”   
  
“How about we have some ice cream?” Gabe asks. “I bought some for us.”   
  
“Gabriel,” Angela says in a scolding tone. “I said no ice cream!”   
  
“Is it chocolate? Rocky road? Tell me it’s Rocky road, Gabe!” Jack is jumping up and down with absolute glee, eyes with a happy shine that just melt Gabriel’s heart.   
  
“It is Rocky road, you seemed to like that one a lot the other day. But the strawberry is mine.”   
  
“Ew, Gabe, strawberry is disgusting!” Jack frowns, visibly shaking his shoulders. “You have no taste.”   
  
“You punk. Strawberry is delicious, I’ll have none of that,” Gabe says, with no actual heat to it, ruffling up Jack’s hair. “Angela, I bought yours too, mint chocolate chip, right?”   
  
“I guess I could take a break,” she acquiesces. “But don’t make the ice cream a habit.”   
  
“Talked like a true mom,” Gabriel jokes. Angela grunts a noise of acknowledgment and they sit on the floor, each one digging up the cup with their plastic spoons and taking mouthfuls of the delicious frozen dessert.   
  
Jack is talking about a dream he had, superheroes and what not, intricate details on how this villain ran genetical experiments on people and Angela seemed to choke on ice cream in some parts. Whether he thought that Angela was some kind of supervillain in a coat was uncertain, but he was sure enthusiastic about how the superheroes in this story would go through lengthy ways to stop these experiments. Gabriel pondered if when he wasn’t around, Jack was submitted to some… shady experimentation. Couldn’t be - Angela promised him that everything they did in the lab was only to make sure that Jack was one hundred percent healthy. They wouldn’t do any harm to Jack, would they?   
  
“Wouldn’t it be cool to be a superhero, Gabe?” Jack asks, dreamily.   
  
“They do exist, Jack. People that help other people every day, they’re the real heroes.”   
  
“Like you did when you were a detective?”   
  
“Yeah, just like that.”   
  
“Why don’t you help people anymore, Gabe?”   
  
That hits Gabriel really hard. His chest hurts deeply all of a sudden, eyes burning with tears that threaten to come out. He forces them down, though, not wanting to cry in front of Jack nor Angela for that matter. Gabriel coughs, putting the ice cream cup aside and getting up.   
  
“I need to go to the bathroom. Be right back.”   
  
It’s not a long walk to the bathroom that’s not adjoined to Jack’s room, he walks hastily and locks the door behind him, supporting himself on the sink counter. Gabriel looks himself in the mirror. For the first time since they’ve started this rollercoaster, he allows the tears to fall down one by one, silently wetting his cheeks. In one month, Jack would be an adult. In one month, Jack would be exactly like when they first met back in college. In one month, Jack would still have absolutely no recollection of their falling in love. This was such a mistake, Gabriel knew deep down, this was the biggest mistake of his life. Yet, seeing those baby blue eyes gazing up so adoringly at him every time he walked into that room, that was his downfall.   
  
After washing his face, he walks back and hears a weak, soft crying sound coming from down the hall, and he recognizes it as Jack’s. He approaches the door frame carefully, sneaking around it, not coming into full view just yet. The boy is crying on Angela’s shoulder and she’s embracing him awkwardly, but they make it work.   
  
“I made him sad, Ang,” he sobs and it’s heartbreaking. Gabriel wants nothing more than console the poor boy. “He brought me ice cream and I made him sad.”   
  
“Hey now, don’t be like that. You didn’t make him sad. Gabriel is a big boy, he’ll be ok.”   
  
“Ang… I really like Gabe. I don’t want to see him sad. Not ever,” Jack says seriously. “Does Gabe like me too?”   
  
“Of course he does, he comes to see you every day, doesn’t he?”   
  
“He does,” Jack smiles. “He really does.”   
  
They continue to hug until Gabriel comes into the room, and Jack wipes out his tears right away, jumping up and trying to hide that he’s been crying. It’s adorable, Gabe thinks.   
  
“Gabe, do you wanna watch a movie with me?” He asks chirpily.    
  
“I’d love to.”   



	2. Chapter 2

Gabriel’s depression wasn’t cured overnight. He still has nightmares and is in a constant mood of desperation when he arrives at home, rummaging through Jack’s things - through his Jack’s things - and crying when he realizes that his husband will never come back. He’s putting all of his expectations on a genetic copy of his beloved Jack and it pains him to even think about him like that, such a cold manner to refer to a human being. He likes clone Jack and clone Jack likes him, it’s become an easy and rewarding routine to see him every day in the lab. Jack has hit puberty and it’s very apparent that he has a crush on Gabriel. He tries to ignore the irony of that and how that is all sorts of inappropriate - for now. In a few days, the blonde will reach adulthood and slow the aging process, the Hypogleven no longer boosting the rapid growth of his system. He tries not to think what will their relationship be when he crosses that line and he’s not sure it would be proper all things considered.

Yet the premise of having Jack in his life again, in a different light, makes his stomach flip.

Jack does have the maturity that levels with his aging, surprisingly. Angela says it has to do with the Hypogleven and Jack’s extreme intelligence. He’s becoming the very handsome man that Gabe once met in college, although he lacks the glasses Jack had when they first encountered. The questions Jack asks are becoming more and more serious, Gabe sometimes has no answer for them. Very frequently, when Gabriel arrives at his room, Jack is reading some book and continues to do so whilst chatting casually with the other man. Gabriel wonders how the young man manages to do both things at the same time.

It was one day before the mark of two months, they were sitting together and making small conversation about the book Jack was reading.

“Hey, did you know that the blue whale’s heart is so gigantic that a human being can swim through its arteries?” Jack says behind a large book, turning a page.

“Really?” Gabriel says, surprised.

“But their throat is no bigger than a saucer,” Jack frowns. “This is some bullshit.”

Gabriel laughs wholeheartedly, throwing his head backward and touching Jack’s biceps doing so.

“What?” The young man asks, clearly offended.

“Are you really upset that mother nature decided to give a giant heart, but a tiny throat to a blue whale?”

“Well… Yes?” He says, unsure.

“You’re a riot, Jack.”

“You don’t mean that.”

“No, Jack, it’s an expression. It means you’re hilarious.”

“Are you making fun of me, Gabe?” Jack asks, looking very self-conscious and the older man kicks himself mentally for not remembering that Jack lacks the proper understanding of the general social skills. His knowledge only goes so far and there’s only so much that books and holovids will teach him.

“Jack…”

“You are!”

“Jack, listen, just because I think you are funny, doesn’t mean I’m laughing at you. Got it, cariño?”

  
When Jack didn’t answer, Gabriel looked up from the floor where he was sitting on the bed that Jack was lying down. He put the book in his lap and his cheeks were red, blushing profusely, eyebrows furrowed.

“What is it, Jack?”

“You… you called me cariño.”

“Oh.”

“Did you mean that?” Jack asks softly and looks to the side, shy.

Gabriel turns his body to face Jack, reaching up and grasping his hand. When that startles the young man, he retrieves his hand quickly, but just as fast Jack grabs him and interlaces their fingers. It’s Gabe’s turn to blush slightly.

“You’re very dear to me, Jack.”

The blonde perks up his head at that, new-found confidence to look Gabriel in the eyes. There it is, that fondness, the look of complete and utter adoration in those sapphire blue eyes. And it hits his chest like a bullet at close range, blossoming a strange mixture of pain and delight, the conflicting dichotomy jumbling his thoughts along the way. Somehow, the fact that Jack ended up falling in love with Gabriel was agonizing - was there such a thing as a soul? Would Jack fall in love with Gabe no matter what? Did Jack fall in love with Gabriel just because he was the only person who gave him affection? These questions were torturing him, like everything in this journey that was nothing but an emotional turmoil. He needed to put some distance between the two of them, for his own sanity.

“But…” Jack seemed to deflate instantly. “We can’t be anything other than friends, Jack. I… I can’t…”

“You can’t…?”

The realization that he can’t be with Jack without telling him about why he’s in love with him in the first place - or with the idea of what Jack represents - hits him like a truck. It would be completely unfair to both of them, this Jack doesn’t have the memories that Gabriel has, no recollection whatsoever of their falling in love in the past. They’ve passed the last two months together and that’s it, not nearly enough to compare to the years actual Jack was married to Gabriel.

“I’m married.” He wasn’t lying, but then again, he wasn’t exactly telling the whole truth.

More than once, Jack opens his mouth to say something, but thinks better and says absolutely nothing instead. Slowly, Jack lets go of the other man hand and lies down on the bed, back turned to Gabriel.

“Jack-”

“You can go. Don’t bother coming back.”

“But Jack, please-”

“I said go,” Jack whispers softly, in a sad, bitter tone.

Gabriel gets up and out of the room, at a loss for what he should do now. He fucked up. He had fucked up big time. How could he explain to Jack that he wasn’t his Jack without telling about the whole experiment? It was impossible. Angela would have none of that, she wouldn’t want to ruin her own project and throw away millions of dollars just because he wanted to succumb to love again. Even if her initial proposition was for him to see Jack again, she was clear - he was Subject 76, to live at the lab and not to leave the lab at any circumstance, to help the world with scientific innovations through his special DNA.

He stumbles upon Angela as he walks down the corridor, her countenance expressing concern.

“Gabriel? Did something happen?” She asks in her heavily accented tone. “Is Jack alright?”

“I don’t know. I think I’ve upset him, a lot,” he scratches his goatee, sighing in disappointment with himself. “I told him I was married.”

“Oh. Jack has a crush on you, yet it’s nothing to be worried about, Gabriel. He’ll understand. Though, I’m unsure why you told him you are married.”

“Because I can’t tell him about my Jack, Angela. You know that.”

“Well, do you really have to?”

Gabriel looks at her with incredulous eyes.

“How can I not tell him?” He points in the direction of the room, exasperated. “It’s… It’s not fair.”

“Are you worried that you’d be loving an idea and not a person, Gabriel?” Angela tilts her head, curious. She crosses her arms, silence extending between them like a thick veil and Gabriel doesn’t have to answer - she knows she is right. “Perhaps it would be unfair to Jack if you didn’t tell him, but I think it would be more disheartening if you told him that the only reason you come here every day is that he’s a replacement for your dead husband.”

Gabriel scoffs. “You’re fucking unbelievable, Ziegler.”

“Oh, I am Ziegler now, am I? Gabriel, he might be identical to Jack, but he is not Jack.”

“So all that bullshit you’ve told me about seeing Jack again, what was it?”

“I thought that it would be a comfort for you to see him again, even if you were not able to sustain a romantic relationship with him. I guess you’re not satisfied with this situation.”

“I’m not sure what I was thinking when I agreed to this.”

“You were hurt,” she says softly. “Is it not enough to have Jack the way you have right now?”

“I’m still hurt. My husband is still dead,” he says, hoarse voice. Gabriel is on the edge of tears again and he refuses to let go, he will not cry in front of her. Or so he thinks. When Angela takes a step forward and embraces him, it’s harder than he ever imagined to hold back. His shoulders hitch, he supports his chin on Angela’s hair and sobs silently, arms encircling her back slowly. He dislikes immensely displaying weakness in front of others like this. But who else will comfort him? No one else can know about Jack. Between the doctor and a bottle of whiskey, Gabriel will accept, no matter how reluctantly, a warm shoulder to cry on.

Angela breaks the hug and looks up with a gentle smile.

“Give him some time. Come back tomorrow, I am sure Jack will be more lenient towards forgiving you.”

“I’m not sure about that.”

“You’ll see.”

_____________

Gabriel is standing outside the door with ice cream - Jack’s favorite - and a book. An offering of peace, one might say. The young man is wrapped in a blanket, sitting in a corner and reading the same book as yesterday, a concentrated frown on his face. He doesn’t seem to notice Gabriel’s presence when he steps inside of the room, which Gabriel, in turn, takes it to his advantage to surprise him. Jack jumps, startled, as Gabriel puts the ice cream in front of him and yelps, his heartbeat accelerating quite considerably.

“Do you wanna give me a heart attack?” Jack asks, blinking rapidly.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to. I did bring your favorite though.”

“I’m not a child anymore, Gabriel.”

Gabriel arches an eyebrow. “And do you have to be a child to enjoy ice cream?”

Jack pouts stubbornly. “Why are you back anyway?”

“Because I don’t want you to be lonely.”

“Or maybe because you are lonely.”

The older man coughs, embarrassed, scratching his neck. “Yeah, maybe that too.”

Jack squints his eyes at Gabriel, analyzing the man up and down with intent. He crosses his arms and lifts up his chin, defiantly.

“Is it Rocky Road?”

“Yes,” Gabriel answers quickly - perhaps too quickly. “And strawberry.”

“You are a peasant with no taste for the delicious dessert that is ice cream, Mr. Reyes. But I’ll let it slide on the account that you brought me Rocky Road.”

Gabriel rolls his eyes. “Yes, my Lord.”

“Which book you bought me anyway?” He asks, digging the plastic spoon into the soft chocolate frozen delicacy and having a mouthful already. Gabriel wasn’t going to question the young man forgiving him in the span of a minute with only a portion of ice cream in hands, he was grateful that Jack seemed to be gentle enough about the situation. After all, he didn’t have anyone other than Gabriel in his life to be very picky, which wasn’t very fair - but what was fair about this whole fuckfest in the first place?

Gabriel unwraps the package and reveals a thin used paperback book, one that seemed to carry a sentimental value more than anything else. He hands it to Jack with a fond smile, who puts the ice cream aside to accept it.

“This used to belong to a very dear person. He… passed away two years ago.”

“Sputnik Sweetheart?” Jack reads the title, uncertain.

“Yeah, it was one of his favorite books.”

“Gabe, I’m not sure if I should have this…”

“You should. I’m giving it to you and if you don’t accept it, I’ll be very upset.”

Jack looks to the book, to Gabriel, and to the book again. He seems to struggle with some overwhelming emotions as he holds the present. Eventually, Jack leans in and hugs Gabriel, crushing him in a very tight embrace. He whispers a very soft ‘thank you’ and stays like that for a while, sticking closely to Gabriel.

They resume their eating after a few lingering moments, chatting amicably and forgetting that yesterday was even a thing. Gabriel is glad. Except he’s noticed something unusual. Every time Angela comes by the room today, Jack is acting weird. She’s all smiles and pleasantries, like always, but Jack is slightly jumpy around her. Avoids eye contact, gets startled when she touches him and stutters when she directly speaks to him. He never acted like this towards Angela before and it’s beyond suspicious, Gabriel can’t stop wondering why Jack is nervous. By the fifth time the doctor leaves the room, Jack visibly deflates in relief and Gabriel decides it’s time to confront the young man.

He pulls Jack into the bathroom and locks the door behind him, sitting the blonde on the toilet and crossing his arms.

“Ok, talk to me,” Gabriel barks.

“What?” Jack says, surprised.

“Talk to me. What’s going on between you and Angela?”

Jack gazes down, embarrassed.

“You don’t understand, Gabe…” He whispers, fidgeting with the hem of his blue shirt.

“What is it that I don’t understand?”

“She told me you wouldn’t understand, she told me-” Jack’s now bordering on tears and Gabriel puts his hands on the other man’s shoulders firmly.

“Jack, I can’t understand it if you don’t even tell me what this is about.”

Nervously, Jack looks to the bathroom door and back at Gabriel, deciding if it’s a smart idea to tell his friend about what’s really going on. Jack knows that it might get Gabriel in trouble if he knows. Jack likes Gabriel, he really does. It would’ve been better if he never came back. But he did and now he’s here. And he knows something is wrong. He can’t, however, know what’s really wrong.

“Gabe, don’t do this,” Jack pleads.

“Are they doing something to you?”

The look on Jack’s face is everything Gabriel needs to know. Jack is frightened of something and his gut tells him that Angela is most likely the reason behind this. Gabriel takes a few calming breaths, pinches the bridge of his nose and paces around to liberate some of the energy that’s building up inside of him. Doesn’t help much, however - there’s this seething dark force expanding in his chest that threatens to blow up at any moment.

“Gabe, please, go,” Jack begs. “If Angela finds out I’ve told you-”

“Jackie, what have they done to you?” Gabriel croaks.

Jack melts with the affectionate nickname, even though he knows it’s not the right time for it. He knows Gabriel did it on purpose, to make him more malleable, to make him tell what’s been going on in the lab in his absence. He gives in because if anyone can help him, it’s Gabriel. Jack strips off his sweatpants and turns to his left, showing an array of unnatural purple bruises on the side of his leg. Every single one of them looks recent and when Gabriel looks closely, they seem to be injections of some sort blossoming into one another with intricate lines. Almost like a peculiar tree taking a hold of his limb, possessive and aggressive in its wake. The marks look extremely painful and Gabriel, for a moment, has the impression that they’re pulsating. It’s a fleeting impression.

“Angela says they’re to help me to improve my body,” Jack starts to say. “But Gabe… They hurt. They hurt so much. I’ve tried my best to hide them from you today.”

“Oh, Jack…” Gabriel says with a sad tone.

“I don’t want you to look at me with pity either,” Jack mutters, studying the ground and avoiding Gabriel’s gaze altogether.

“Jack, look at me. I’d never pity you, never.”

“Gabe,” Jack calls, somber tone. “Is… Is Angela experimenting on me?”

Gabriel hesitates and that’s all it takes for Jack to panic, to be utterly astonished and in a loss for words. He pulls his pants up, sliding to the floor and covering his face with his hands. Jack starts to rock back and forward, muttering things that Gabriel can’t hear clearly. Gabriel sits down and reaches for one of Jack’s hands, holding it tight between his two. Jack is crying.

“We’ll work this out, ok?”

“How, Gabe? How?” Jack asks between sobs, desperately. “I can’t... Leave... This place.”

The former detective reflects upon the complex crossroads they’re facing, considering every path and its consequences. If they stayed, the possibility of reasoning with Angela was slim, she probably already had set her mind on her goals with this project and it was partially Gabriel’s fault for agreeing to donate Jack’s DNA for this. The contract was too subjective on how they would use it and the possibilities of something that didn’t exist yet were infinite, not fully covered by simple lines on a paper signed between them. If they somehow could escape, where would they even go and how could they live constantly on the run? Could they possibly hide somewhere safe? Would Jack possibly develop medical complications?

Gabriel didn’t know. He didn’t know. It was infuriating not to know. But he had to make a decision, he knew he had to.

He makes a decision.

_____________

The Lazarus Project is based on Caduceus Laboratories - a rather ambiguous name for a place of science, Gabriel thinks, erroneously designated as a symbol of medicine instead of the Rod of Asclepius; but if it comes to mind, one of Angela’s greatest inventions to this age is her staff carrying the same name as the lab, a healing rod that helped immensely when it came to the first aid of soldiers in the field. Her technology, however, wasn’t so given out as freely as the Government would’ve liked - it’s expensive and the program was cut out a few months ago. Luckily, she had this project on the go to get more funding and keep the flow of her lab going.

Gabriel returns his thinking to the place where he’s supposed to make his escapade. Guarded heavily from the entrance to the myriad of security levels inside, the Caduceus Laboratories is an elaborate labyrinth of defense and ultimately, a headache to get through with just one man. Jack wouldn’t be of much help, he doubts that even if Gabriel gives him a gun he’d be able to do anything with it. He’s not even sure he’ll enter the lab with any guns of his own. The answer might be rendering a guard inside the facility and getting their weapon to break out the rest of the way. Gabriel passes the next few days making a mental map of the halls, observing the guard routines and the exact times Angela would visit - she’s nothing but a methodic woman. There’s a clear pattern that he must follow if he wants to avoid major red flags and a week goes by before he’s absolutely sure of his plan.

Jack is innocently reading the book Gabriel gave him last week - rereading it, actually - and his head perks up when the older man enters the room. He told Jack that when the plan was ready, he’d come wearing a dark red t-shirt and they’d escape that day. Suddenly, Jack seemed on edge and very aware of his surroundings, ready for anything. The book, that now held a precious value for Jack, was hidden inside his pants and there was nothing else really that the blonde wanted to take from this place.

The first guard they encounter along the way was just coming back from his break early, and Gabriel knocks him down immediately, grabbing his radio and gun from his holster. He beckons for Jack to follow him and goes through the endless halls of the lab, listening on the radio that they are already caught, people mobilizing to close in on them. Gabriel curses under his breath and walks to the nearest ventilation system entrance in an empty room, by the end of corridor 78, helping Jack go in first. It would be harder to find the exit now, but he would make this work.

“I repeat, shoot on sight, do not let subject 76 escape,” the static muddled with the voice on the radio, making it slightly tough to understand especially being inside the vents now. Gabriel was a cop for many years though, this was something he was used to.

“I’m never getting used to being called subject 76,” Jack whispers with the saddest tone Gabriel’s ever heard. “It’s so… cold.”

“Well, you’re not subject 76 to me,” Gabriel replies, continuing to crawl through the vent. “Soon, you won’t have to answer to that goddamn awful moniker.”

Jack hums appreciatively behind him. Gabriel is still trying to map their way out, not stopping with a real fear of getting caught by anyone underneath them. They’re so close to the exit near the parking lot, so near. When he sees the natural light of the sun coming out from the metal little door that’s peeking through, he sits and kicks it so they can jump down to the ground below. Jack is looking at the sky with amazement and dazzling eyes, but he can’t let the man really appreciate this pure moment - they have to run.

“I’m really sorry, Jackie, but we gotta go.”

The blonde nods and lets himself get pulled by the arm as they run to Gabriel’s car. The former detective knows they’ll have to change cars the moment they are out of here. For now, the red Toyota Corolla will have to do. Guards shoot at the car while Gabriel passes through the lookout and breaks the boom barrier shamelessly. There’s someone following them, but Gabriel just misled the security with some twisted turns and they appeared to give up along the way. It wasn’t over, it was far from over. Gabriel would have to step up his game if he wanted them to survive this dangerous game.

_____________

A person in the back of the room tsks loudly and Angela snaps her head toward the noise, extremely annoyed. Leaning into the wall, with arms crossed, a woman is staring at her with intense eyes. She’s wearing a long white lab coat, a pristine black button-up that coordinates with impeccable dress pants, a charcoal vest and a coral red tie; altogether, the clothing only adds up to the powerful aura that she upholds.

“You have only yourself to blame for that, my dear.”

Angela groans and turns around to the security footage again, rewatching Gabriel and Jack escapade from the facility. She’s not phased by the recent addition of company, wanting nothing more than to ignore the other scientist. But in the end, she always, always gives in to that nagging voice in the back of her head saying that her counterpart is right.

“I suppose that is right, Dr. O'Deorain.”

“Too soft,” she sighs and kicks the wall, now walking toward the blonde. “Sometimes you are too soft for your own good.”

“Thank you for your input.”

“Allow me to repair the damage.”

“And how would you do such thing?”

“You didn’t think I’d let subject 76 be around Gabriel Reyes without a tracking device, did you now? That is adorable.”

“If you had that information, why didn’t you tell me sooner? You are unbearable.”

“I was curious as to how you would react to their breakout. I guess I’ve put too much faith in you.”

The blonde snorts. “Charming, Moira. Just charming.”

Moira hums and embraces Angela from behind, putting her chin on the petite woman shoulder.

“I don’t have to be charming when I already have you.”

“And don’t I regret that every single day of my miserable life.”

“You don’t mean that,” the other woman coos. “You’re just moody because your pet escaped.”

“He is not a pet.”

“You’re right. Even domestic animals are treated better than subject 76.”

“Stop it at once,” Angela disentangles herself from Moira and turns around. “Turn on the tracking device. We need to find them.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lemme know what you think in the comments below! As usual, comments and kudos keep me going! ♥
> 
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